Re: Problem setting up broadband from Tiscali

"someone" <someone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:467860e7$0$27853$db0fefd9@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"pmj" <post@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:iBGdi.7780$p8.4760@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"someone" <someone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:46772a0a$0$27853$db0fefd9@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<snip>
I went ADSL using a Speedtouch 536v6 modem/router in Spring '06

Is that this one?...
http://www.thomson-broadband.co.uk/codepages/content3.asp?c=7&ProductID=520

Yes.
<Snip>
I'd be interested to hear if it works OK (using both the Ethernet
& the USB Connections) & how you get on with it.

When we couldn't get the USB one working on just my machine,
the guy at my ISP said to connect the Ethernet cable (without
disconnecting the USB cable)

Yep - you can actually have both Cables Connected at once.
But it will only use one of them for the actual Internet Connection.

and try and install that, and it installed OK.

With an Ethernet to the Router (& thus to the Internet) you don't
actually have to "Install" anything!
:-)

All the Setting up of the ADSL Connection (such as Setting the ADSL
UserName & PassWord & possibly the VPI/VCI & PPPoA/VCMCUX stuff, if
needed) is done via the Router's own (built-in) "Admin/Setup/
Configuration" Pages, accessible using a normal Web browser.

Some firms/ISPs *do* supply various "Installation" Routines which
Prompt for the Info & then transfer the Info you give to the
Modem/Router, but you don't need any of that.

... So I had both cables connected to my PC (although the USB
wasn't working at that point). Once installed on spouse's machine,
he said we would each be able to connect at the same time.

Hmmm...
Interesting!
Great if you can - Since it's a *Router* (which does the handling of
"Routing" the signals between differen tMachines, it may be able to
do taht overboth the USB & Ethernet Connections at the same time -
but I know that many Modems that have both Ethernet & USB Connections
can only use one or the other - do try it & let us know.

I mentioned it, cos it's as well to be aware of any limitations like
that, so you aren't caught out & Flummoxed if/when it happens.

Also, some Modems that have both USB & Ethernet Conenctions have
different "Modes", which have to be Selected (either by Running the
SetUp Routine, or by Accessing the Admin Interface), to do it.

I've now managed to get each machine connected so they can use either
a USB or an Ethernet connection.

Yep, that's (each Machine) using *either* Ethernet or USB, but what
about 2 *different* machines, one using Ethernet & one using USB?

& both at the same time, rather than one Machine *or* the other?

While waiting to decide about the Netgear option, I currently have
the Ethernet connected to the Win XP machine and the USB connected
to the W98SE machine, both in the same room, and they each work OK.

Yep - that's separately...
But...

However I have not actually tried to see if they work
*simultaneously*, because I only have the one monitor at the
moment, which means shutting down one or other machine to swap the
monitor over. I haven't had to reboot the modem so far.
I've got another old monitor handy, I'll attach it to the W98SE
machine and switch them both on and see what happens. Will let you
know.

Yep, please do!
:-)

My biggest problem is trying to find out where things are and how
to do simple things on this XP machine, it's not so obvious as it
was on the W98SE.

Yep, but you'll soon get used to it!

& remember, there's plenty of Info available all over the place about
it - loads of people in the 6 Years since WinXP was released have
been through exactly that process.

Just do a Web search or ask in here (after trying the obvious things,
such as looking in the (built-in) Help Files - WinXP has lots of
useful Info about "what's different & how to do things in WinXP,
compared to previous versions.

Took me ages to find out how to turn off autorun :-).

Yep - in WinXP, that's done in a completely different way than
in W9x

But, remember, you can always (in any Version) just hold down the
SHIFT Key, while you Insert a CD (keeping it held down, while the
Drive Spins up & reads the Disk), to Stop it AutoRunning.

That actually applies to a lot of things - always remember to try
using the "SHIFT" Key, when Clicking (or Dragging etc,) - it "Modifies"
the Action & very often lets you do something that you didn't know
about (or how to do) before.

& the same applies to *Right*Clicking (or *Right*Dragging) that usually
gives you a "Context Menu", with relevant (& often useful!<g>) Options.

& - of course - have a good look around on all the various Menus
& on the different Tabs of Dialog Boxes & Pressing the [Advanced...]
Button in them etc...

WinXP has *loads* of ways of making it do what you want & a lot of
them are hidden away, so as not to scare, frighten & overwhelm people.
But just cos you can't (immediately) *see* everything, that doesn't
mean it isn't there.

HTH

--
pmj


.